Study tools
The tools behind every reading
Every DHARMA DECODER article follows the same philological conventions. Here is how transliteration, grammar and sources are handled, so you can check each claim against the text yourself.
Reference resources
Practical guides for close reading
IAST romanisation charts
A reference chart of IAST symbols, with pronunciation notes for vowels, retroflex and aspirated consonants, and sibilants, so transliterated ślokas can be read accurately.
Sanskrit grammar primers
Short primers on sandhi, case endings and verbal forms, set out so a śloka can be parsed word by word before its translation is consulted.
Critical editions of commentaries
A guide to the critical editions of major classical commentaries, noting which manuscript witnesses each edition draws upon and where variant readings are recorded.